An Analysis of the Sale of Contracts by the Athletics after the 1914 Season

The Philadelphia Athletics lost the 1914 World Series to the Boston Braves, being swept in four games. The Athletics had been favored to win the Series over the Braves, who had been in last place as late as the Fourth of July. After the season, Connie Mack, the owner/manager, sold many of the best players for the Athletics. The sale of athletes is often attributed to financial pressures caused by the Federal League, which hired several star players at relatively high salaries and began play in 1914. Perhaps the sales were part of an effort to rebuild the team after the disappointing loss of the World Series. This study will examine the financial implications of the sale of players\u27 contracts. This study has several uses in the classroom. The event may be presented as a sale of assets and incorporated into the decision making component of managerial or cost accounting. as a general rule, such sales should occur if profits will increase as a result. Based on this rule, did Connie Mack make the best decision? This study may also be considered a forensic analysis of the sales. Do the sales make financial sense? If not, what motivations may have influenced Mack? This study will present preliminary analysis of the financial implications of the sales. The Athletics seemed to lose value in the sales. Possible motivations will be explored as the basis of future studies

The Effect of Regulation on Statement Disclosures in the 1915 Moody\u27s Manuals

United States firms in the early 20th century were subject to public and private regulation. Forms of regulation included rate regulation and stock exchange listing requirements. These regulations created incentives to report income statement information. This study utilizes the 1915 Moody’s Analyses of Investments to test whether regulated firms in the United States reported more income statement information than unregulated firms. Rate regulation influenced utilities to report income statements more frequently than industrial companies. Stock market listing requirements also influenced the reporting of income statements. Therefore, the results indicate that both public and private regulations influenced financial reporting in the early 20th century. Another finding of the study is that income statements were more frequently reported than balance sheets for both railroads and utilities

Earnings Management Among Firms During the Pre-SEC Era: A Benford\u27s Law Analysis

This paper examines the existence of financial statement manipulation in the U.S. during a time period when many of the current motivations did not exist. The study looks for types of manipulations that would be motivated by the pre-SEC operating environment. To examine this issue, a sample of U.S. firms from the 1915 Moody\u27s Analyses of Investments is divided into industrial firms, railroads, and utilities. The railroad and utility companies faced rate regulatiori during this time period, providing incentives to manipulate the financial reports so as to maximize the rate received. Industrial firms were not regulated. These companies wanted to attract investors, motivating manipulations to increase income and net assets. To determine if manipulations are occurring, a Benford\u27s Law analysis is used. This analysis examines the frequency of numbers in certain positions within an amount to determine if the distribution of the numbers is similar to the pattern documented by Benford\u27s Law. Some manipulations consistent with expectations are found

Financial Reporting in 1920: The Case of Industrial Companies

This study uses the 1920 Moody’s Analysis of Industrial Investments to assess the extent of financial reporting by U.S. indus­trial companies. The reporting of an income statement and a balance sheet, as well as the amount of disclosure in both of these statements, is examined empirically to determine which economic factors influ­ence this reporting. The results show that corporate-governance, op­erating, and financing factors all significantly influence the reporting of financial statements and the extent of disclosure within those state­ments. However, the significant factors vary across the two financial statements and the two decisions considered (reporting a particular statement and the amount of disclosure within the statement to re­port). All factors are shown to influence significantly the decision to report both a balance sheet and an income statement and the amount of information to report in a balance sheet. The decision regarding the amount of information to report in an income statement is only influenced by corporate-governance and operating factors

Financial reporting in 1920: The case of industrial companies;

This study uses the 1920 Moody\u27s Analysis of Industrial Investments to assess the extent of financial reporting by U.S. industrial companies. The reporting of an income statement and a balance sheet, as well as the amount of disclosure in both of these statements, is examined empirically to determine which economic factors influence this reporting. The results show that corporate-governance, operating, and financing factors all significantly influence the reporting of financial statements and the extent of disclosure within those statements. However, the significant factors vary across the two financial statements and the two decisions considered (reporting a particular statement and the amount of disclosure within the statement to report). All factors are shown to influence significantly the decision to report both a balance sheet and an income statement and the amount of information to report in a balance sheet. The decision regarding the amount of information to report in an income statement is only influenced by corporate-governance and operating factors

Changes in Business Core & Accounting Course Requirements: AACSB Influences

This study explores the business core requirements and accounting program requirements of universities accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) and those without such accreditation during both 1996/97 and 2012/13 academic years. The sample of 50 universities consists of 25 with AACSB accreditation and 25 without AACSB accreditation during the 1996/97 academic year. Differences are examined in the courses and credit hours required in various courses between the two types of universities as well as changes in these programs between the two time periods. The changes that have occurred between 1996/97 and 2012/13 are compared to changes in AACSB standards to determine if the changes made by accredited universities were primarily to align with accreditation standard changes or if changes are occurring in addition to standard motivated changes. The comparison between the AACSB accredited and non-AACSB accredited universities can be used to determine if the non-AACSB accredited universities follow the same general curriculum. Also, the changes in curriculum to align with AACSB standards will be looked for in the non-AACSB accredited universities. If a similar change in curriculum is noted for both AACSB accredited and non-AACSB accredited universities, then it would seem that the AACSB influence may reach beyond accredited universities. Given that AACSB is considered to be the premier accreditation, if its programmatic expectations are being adopted by non-AACSB accredited universities, positive externalities would be occurring from the accreditation process that would benefit college of business students and the economy as a whole. The study is being extended to consider the 2016/2017 academic year as well to capture the latest changes in AACSB accreditation standards. This data is not yet complete

Earnings management among firms during the pre-SEC area: a Benford\u27s Law analysis

This paper examines the existence of financial statement manipulation in the U.S. during a time period when many of the current motivations did not exist. The study looks for types of manipulations that would be motivated by the pre-SEC operating environment. To examine this issue, a sample of U.S. firms from the 1915 Moody\u27s Analyses of Investments is divided into industrial firms, railroads, and utilities. The railroad and utility companies faced rate regulation during this time period, providing incentives to manipulate the financial reports so as to maximize the rate received. Industrial firms were not regulated. These companies wanted to attract investors, motivating manipulations to increase income and net assets. To determine if manipulations are occurring, a Benford\u27s Law analysis is used. This analysis examines the frequency of numbers in certain positions within an amount to determine if the distribution of the numbers is similar to the pattern documented by Benford\u27s Law. Some manipulations consistent with expectations are found

An Analysis of Social Factors Influencing the Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards

his paper examines the decision of 120 countries to permit or not to permit the use of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for listed companies incorporated within their borders. An empirical model is developed considering variables related to culture, political systems and economic systems of the countries. Least squares regression was used to examine which variables significantly influence the decision to allow the use of IFRS. The results from this regression indicate that literacy rates and net import activity positively influence the decision to allow IFRS. Less economically developed countries were also shown to be more likely to allow IFRS. A model using these three variables was used to predict whether countries would allow IFRS. The model was able to statistically improve on the prediction that all countries would use IFRS

Continuing Bonds Through Art Making: A Heuristic Exploration of the Loss of an Attachment Figure

This inquiry explored the experience of the researcher’s bereavement of her mother. The aim was to see if the use of art could help sustain the existence of an inner relationship with the deceased. The theory of attachment and the continuing bonds bereavement theory were used to support this research. Looking at how involvement in creative art making might affect the connection with the attachment figure that passed away, the researcher engaged in a heuristic art-based research. This way of committing to cognitive, affective and visual spheres influenced personal reflections and art work. The process is described through the six phases of Moustakas’s (1990) heuristic methodology. Data was collected in the form of paintings and journal notes. The researcher discusses the awareness and experiences that surfaced during and after the practice of art. The main theme that stood out was the illness that led to the loss. New insights and understandings embodied with painting revealed that the attachment style with the caregiver influences the continuing bonds post-death. Here, an avoidant attachment response with the deceased did not grant the art making to promote a continuing relationship with the mother that passed away. Nonetheless, this disillusionment allowed the researcher to integrate the reality of her loss. The findings confronted the author with her truth. Key Terms: Art therapy, Attachment figure, Bereavement, Grief, Continuous bonds, Art practic

L’intégration linguistique en français langue seconde chez les immigrants arrivés à l'adolescence

Chaque année, en moyenne, 51 193 immigrants sont admis au Québec et la moitié d’entre eux n’ont aucune connaissance en français (Bélanger, 2020). Plusieurs moyens sont donc mis en œuvre pour aider les nouveaux arrivants à apprendre la langue. Les enfants et les adolescents pourront intégrer le système scolaire dans lequel ils auront accès à un enseignement spécifique du français selon leur âge et leur niveau d’éducation à travers le programme d’Intégration linguistique, scolaire et sociale mis en place par le ministère de l’Éducation du Québec (MEES, 2014). Dans ce travail, je chercherai à comprendre le processus d’intégration linguistique dans le contexte québécois chez les immigrants arrivés à l’adolescence ayant une langue maternelle autre que le français. Pour atteindre cet objectif, 5 immigrants (voir Tableau 1) arrivés à l’adolescence et ayant résidé au Québec pendant 10 ans ont été interrogés afin de recueillir le récit de leur parcours et d’isoler les facteurs qui ont favorisé, ou non, leur intégration linguistique. Pour ce faire, une approche qualitative a été utilisée afin de permettre une meilleure compréhension de l’intégration linguistique chez ce groupe d’âge en étudiant la formation, l’histoire et l’activité de chacun des participants en accord avec la méthode génétique issue de la théorie socioculturelle (Lantolf, 2000). Une place importante a été accordée aux impressions des participants par rapport aux contextes sociaux rencontrés, leurs souvenirs face à l’apprentissage du français, à leurs compétences langagières dans cette L2, leurs opinions sur ce que les Québécois d’implantation plus ancienne perçoivent de leurs habiletés linguistiques et enfin, leurs ressentis sur leur identité culturelle. L’analyse des données a permis d’identifier plusieurs facteurs, telle la participation à la société d’accueil ainsi que l’âge à l’arrivée, dont dépendent l’intégration linguistique des immigrants arrivés à l’adolescence. En effet, plus un apprenant voudra participer à la société, s’il fixe son objectif d’acquisition de la langue sur la participation, plus il se verra comme faisant partie de cette société peu importe son âge. L’âge à l’arrivée devient un atout lorsque joint à la motivation et à la participation permettant à l’apprenant d’accéder à plus de soutien linguistique à travers le parcours scolaire